How is gender represented in Scream?
The non diagetic sound in Scream is used to create a sense of horror and fear. This is evident at the very start of the film when we are shown the title of the film "SCREAM". The title is complimented with a series of high pitch screams and this highlights a factor of fear and almost a warning for what else is to come in the film. This screaming is witnessed a few minutes later in the film yet it is diagetic as Drew Barrymore is screaming due to the fear that someone is after her and watching her. Drew is conforming to the prejudice of women as she is screaming and paranoid due to her easily bruised emotions. There is another example with the diagetic sound of knives as Barrymore picks one up and drops it back into the knife rack. Knives are most commonly associated with murder or some kind of bad happening so these knives help to portray a threat and increase the scale of horror. This is a counter-type as women are not usually seen to be wielding a knife or a weapon at all as they are known to be the victim more often than not - this sound is also hinting the use of the knives further on in the film. So the gender roles in this film are conforming and the sound helps to present these prejudice gender representations via the use of screaming.
Mise en scene is also key in heightening the horror scale as well as representing women stereotypical as a victim and in a weak shadow of men. My first example is the use of costume as Drew is pictured wearing a cream jumper. Light colours in horror are most commonly used to portray innocence. Therefore this is portraying future events that Drew is going to be our first victim as she is an innocent woman and this purity and innocence will eventually lead to her victimisation by a much more dominant figure - presumably a male as to conform to the gender roles in horror. The use of popcorn is also vital in building up the tension during the opening scene and is actually the disruption in the equilibrium as it bursts. The popcorn's tension as it heats up to burst run in tandem with Barrymore's build up of fear and the suspense of horror so is therefore a key attribute in this opening scene in using mise en scene to create horror.
Camera angles and movement further emphasise horror in this opening scene as well as enhancing the role of women in horror as the victim. For example the use of a tracking shot that moves in on Drew and follows her around the house gives the idea that someone is watching her and following her and that she is about to be the victim. The use of a close up shot from a high angle of the phone gives reason that the phone is of high significance and that the victim should be extremely cautious with it for what is to come later on in the scene. It is used as the first sign of the antagonist in this scene. There are also a number of Point of View shots throughout this scene which can be considered the killer looking at the victim from the outside of the house as he taunts her on the phone. This creates horror as she is in danger and can be viewed on her own so she has no help therefore perceiving it as an inevitability that she will die. Therefore the camera angles and movement in this opening extract are key in creating horror and continuing the stereotype of victimising women.
Finally editing also prevails to enhance the horror factor. When the title first appears it is coaxed in red which eventually fills the screen as the title fades out into the opening shot. The colour red is most commonly used in horror films to represent blood and death so this can therefore be seen as foreshadowing as perhaps a death is about to occur in the eyes of the audience. This use of editing thus creates horror by connoting an upcoming death. Just before the title turns blood red it is white and pure in order to signify the innocence of women and Drew who is about to be murdered innocently. Horror is therefore showed off through editing and once more through the use of all the micro-elements.
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